Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy is expected to move a confidence motion in the Karnataka Assembly by 11am on Thursday morning. The confidence motion comes as Karnataka was plunged into political turmoil since July 1, with a total of 16 MLAs, from the Congress and JD(S) resigning from the Assembly.
Kumaraswamy and B.S. Yeddyurappa, as leader of the opposition, are expected to speak on the confidence motion. Other MLAs may also speak during the debate and the exact time of when an actual trust vote takes place remains unknown as of now.
There are a total of 224 elected MLAs in the Karnataka Assembly. With senior Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy announcing on Thursday that he was withdrawing his resignation, the number of MLAs under the Congress-JD(S) alliance has risen to 102, including the speaker. The BJP, with 105 MLAs, also has the support of two independent legislators.
The Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that the rebel MLAs, who resigned from the Assembly in recent weeks, can't be compelled to attend Assembly proceedings. The Congress-JD(S) government can only survive if at least six of the 15 rebel MLAs return and vote as per the party whip.
Yeddyurappa had declared on Wednesday that Kumaraswamy would be “automatically” defeated during the trust vote.
